Level the Economic Playing Field

• Students who are required to wear uniforms don't have to worry about what they wear to school in comparison to what their peers wear. Poor students who don't wear uniforms often feel as if they can't compete with their more affluent peers, and wealthy students may be the victims of theft, bullying or violence over their designer clothing and name-brand shoes and accessories. When all students wear the same thing, it is more difficult to identify -- or discriminate against -- them by social class.
  
  

Easy Identification

• When students all wear the same colors and styles of clothing, it is easy to identify people who do not belong on campus. School officials can react to intruders and place classrooms on lockdown more quickly if they spot a stranger. At schools that do not have uniform policies, it can be tough to tell whether someone is a student or not. Intruders blend in more easily and may gain access to students without anyone noticing.
  
  

Eliminate Gang Colors and Insignia

• Schools that grapple with gang violence often cite it as a major reason for implementing uniform dress codes. Students who have gang ties often wear clothing in gang colors or that shows gang symbols or words. When students are required to wear a specific outfit, it eliminates their ability to use their clothing to incite their peers. If a local gang uses the color red, for example, a school can require students to wear white tops and blue pants so that the gang color cannot be worn at all.
  
  

Teach Discipline

• Students who are required to wear uniforms must care for their clothing and launder it frequently, as they usually own only a few outfits, not an outfit for every day of the week. This instills discipline in students who otherwise would not be responsible for such routine care. It also teaches students that school is a place where casual attire is not acceptable. Students may learn to match their behavior and attitudes to their formal dress.